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In honor of Sri Krishna and Swami

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Light and Love

 

It is said that He is Vishnu's eighth incarnation who is called the

Purnavatar - one who had all the attributes of Vishnu.

It is also real to conclude that Swami's three incarnations (previous,

present and next) represent the ninth, triple incarnation of Vishnu in

extremely complex age of Kali Juga. It is also real to conclude that the

present Divine incarnation carries the matrix of information belonging to the

all previous incarnations. This matrix is as a divine ladder where every

footstep to the new stage as 'remembers' the footsteps from the older stages.

So pictorially Swami is as Krishna, as Vishnu, as Shiva, as Buddha, etc. By

Swami all previous and present and future names are His. The reality is One an

endless and eternal inertwined Divine Grid what appears in different times, in

different forms, in different places...

 

On the holy day of Sri Krishna Janmashtami, 27th August it is good to

remember some historical facts and legends connected with Lord Krishna.

Lord Krishna, was born in Mathura, a sity of temples and ghats on the west

bank of river Yamuna. It is located at the heart of Brajbhoomi, 145 km

south-east of Delhi. The day of Krishna's birth is celebrated on the eighth day

of the dark fortnight of the month of Shravan. Main celebrations take place at

the places associated with the life of Krishna, like Mathura, Vrindavan and

Dwarka. Krishna remains the most endearing deity of Hinduism. His devotees

worship him with the firm belief that he would rush to their rescue in their

moments of crisis.

 

Some data about Mathura

 

In ancient times, Krishna's birthtown Mathura bustled with activity, being

located on important trade routes that went westwards to West Asia and the

Roman empire; northwards via Taxila, Pushkalavati and Purushapur to Central

Asia and the Silk Route and eastwards to China.

In the 5th century BC, it was counted among the 16 metropolises of the time.

It remained a centre of power during the Mauryan and Gupta periods. Emperor

Ashok built many Buddhist monuments in and around Mathura in 3rd century BC.

Mathura became the centre of a distinct school of art between 1st century BC

and 1st century AD. Trade and commerce flourished during the rule of Kushanas

and under the rule of Kanishka. In 11th century AD, Mahmud Ghazni destroyed

many Buddhist and Hindu shrines around Mathura. The city suffered further

attacks in the following centuries and came under British rule in 1804. Mathura

is today an important place of pilgrimage.

Mathura is adorned with many wonderful temples. The prison cell where

Krishna is believed to have been born still exists. This beautiful Katra Kesha

Dev temple has been built over this and is venerated as the Krishna janmasthan.

Another beautiful temple located on the Mathura-Vrindavan road is called Gita

Mandir. The entire Bhagwad Gita (Geetha) - the most sacred book of Hinduism is

inscribed on its walls. The most beautiful image of Lord Krishna is in the

Dwarkadheesh temple, built in 1815 by a wealthy devotee, Seth Gokuldas Parikh,

Treasurer of the state of Gwalior.

Closely associated with the life of Lord Krishna, Mathura also has some

ancient Shiva temples. The Bhuteshwar Mahadev temple, the Gokarneshwar temple,

the Rangeshwar Mahadev temple and the Pipaleshwar Mahadev temple are chief

among them.

Mathura is also the land of some sacred water sources, called kund. It is

believed that Mathura was home to 159 ancient kunds. Of these only four survive

today. These include the elegant Shiv Tal, the famous Potara Kund, the Balbhadra

and the Saraswati kund.

River Yamuna near Mathura is a repository of the legends associated with

Krishna. The river bank is embellished with stone steps leading to the surface

of the water. These are called ghats and each ghat has a story associated with

it. The city of Mathura is spread on the right bank of the Yamuna and the

ghats, temple spires and archways provide a wonderful view from the opposite

bank.

It is believed that the ghats were built at the sites of ancient ashrams,

where the great sages performed their penances. Today they are crowded with

pilgrims who visit these sacred sites for the ritual dip in the water. Of the

25 ghats that exist today, Vishram Ghat is the most important. It is believed

that Lord Krishna rested here after killing the tyrant Kansa.

The elegant temples of Mathura, the Mukut Temple, Radha-Damodar, Murli

Manohar, Neelkantheshwar, Yamuna-Krishna, Langali Hanuman and Narasimha temples

are situated near Vishram Ghat. The baithak of the great Vaishnava saint,

Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, is also nearby.

The arati at Vishram Ghat in the evening is an unforgettable sight. Devotees

float tiny earthen lamps in the river and the dark waters look studded with

little flickering flames. Time and again, this sacred site was ravaged by the

invaders. During the reign of Sikander Lodhi, it was restored by two

Vaishnavite saints, Keshav Kashmiri and Vallabhacharya. On the other hand, it

was patronised during Akbar's reign when many temples were repaired and

embellished.

Some legends and events from Krishna's life. The ritual, connected with the

legend.

 

Krishna was the eighth child of Vasudev and Devaki, the imprisoned king and

queen of Mathura. Kans, Devki's brother and usurper of the kingdom, had killed

seven of Vasudev's children and hence, Krishna was taken to Nand and Yashoda,

immediately after birth. So Krishna - a prince of the Yadava clan was brought

up in the rural environs of Gokul and Vrindavan to protect him from the

persecution of his maternal uncle, Kans. Krishna's foster parents, Nand and

Yashoda, loved him as if he was their own child. He grew up among the cowherds.

 

Krishna defeated many demons sent by Kansa during his childhood. He was a

very affectionate child and was loved by all, despite his mischievous nature.

The legend tells that as a child, Lord Krishna was very fond of curd and

butter. He would gather his friends and they would steal butter from the houses

of the milkmaids of Vrindavan. To protect their curd and butter from this gang

of naughty children, the milkmaids kept it in a pot and hung it from the

ceiling of their houses. Today's practice of Dahi Handi ritual on the day after

Janmashtami is the same challenge posed by the women of a locality to the young

men of their neighbourhood.

The plan for Dahi Handi begins much before Janmashtami. Contribution is

collected from every household in the locality. The day after Janmashtami,

women buy large amounts of flattened rice ( poha ), curds, sugar and pickles.

The poha , curds and sugar is mixed together to form dahi-poha , a dish that

was said to be a favourite of Lord Krishna. A large earthen pot is then filled

with dahi-poha. Tangy pickle is placed in the centre. The pot is decorated on

the outside with flowers and leaves. As an added incentive, currency notes are

tied to the pot. This pot is then hung high up in an open ground. It is a

challenge to the youth of the locality to claim this pot.

As soon as the pot is hung, they arrive at the ground which is teeming with

spectators, by this time. The youth take a look at the pot hanging high, gauge

its height and begin to form a human pyramid to reach it. But the task is not

easy. It is the privilege of the young girls of the locality to see to it that

the boys do not find their target too easy.

The girls are ready with buckets of cold water and as soon as the human

pyramid begins to take shape, splash goes the water! Bucket after bucket is

poured on the boys amidst roars of laughter and shouts of encouragement from

the crowd. However, boys go on adding tier after tier to their pyramid.

Finally, the most agile boy climbs like a cat over the bodies of his friends

forming the pyramid. He reaches the summit, carrying a stick in his hands. He

takes the aim and with great accuracy, breaks the pot. Down pours the dahi-poha

and there is a scramble to get the money and the prasad. The crowd watches this

ritual with bated breath.

 

When Krishna was about sixteen-years-old, he went to Mathura and challenged

the tyrant Kansa. He killed him in a combat, released his parents and restored

the primitive republican form of government that had been prevalent in Mathura.

He headed an army that repelled the forces of mighty tyrants Jarasandh 17

times. Later, Krishna established a powerful kingdom at Dwarka on the shores of

the Arabian Sea.

Pandavas, sons of Kunti and rulers of Indraprastha, always sought Krishna's

advice. Krishna was a close friend of Arjuna. Krishna established dharma or

moral order throughout India by eliminating many tyrants like Kansa, Jarasandh

and Shishupal. During the Mahabharat war, he was Arjuna's charioteer and

expounded the philosophy of Geeta, which gives some basic tenets of Hinduism.

 

Krishna, Radha and Rukmini

 

The symbol of eternal love is - Radha and Krishna. This love story has

reverberated throughout India through literature, art, myths and folk tales and

has acquired the nature of an archetype.

When Krishna grew into a teenager, his charming personality, his fearless

demeanor and affectionate nature won him many friends. Krishna was also an

exellent flautist and the milkmaids of Gokul were in love with this handsome

prince. One such milkmaid was Radha who was so engrossed in her love for

Krishna that she lived only for him. Krishna and Radha spent many happy days in

Gokul and Vrindavan.

However, Krishna was no ordinary youth. Being an incarnation of Lord Vishnu,

he had a specific mission in life.

Radha was grief-stricken when Krishna left Gokul, never to return back.

Krishna was aware of her feelings but he could not turn back now.

Years later, when Krishna's fame as the restorer of justice had spread far

and wide, the milkmaids of Gokul decided to visit him. They travelled to Dwarka

and sought Krishna's audience. Although a mighty king now, Krishna had not

forgotten the friends of his youth. The meeting of the separated lovers was an

occasion to celebrate. But now, Radha could not bear a separation for the

second time. She requested Krishna to accept her as his beloved. The legend has

it that Radha disappeared in Krishna's body like a flame unites with another

flame.

 

Princess Rukmini too was in love with Krishna, the most charming prince of

the time. Rukmini wanted to marry this brave prince but was helpless in the

opposition from her parents and brother. In those days, there were no easy

means of communication. How could a princess in Amaravati convey her wishes to

the prince in Dwarka?

However, Rukmini's marriage was fixed with Shishupal. But Rukmini was

determined and devised a careful plan. She wrote a letter to Krishna in which

she poured out her heart. She expressed her deep feelings and requested Krishna

to come and take her away to Dwarka She also suggested that the ideal time for

elopement would be when she would visit the temple of a goddess on the

outskirts of the town on the morning of her marriage.

When Krishna received the letter, he was overwhelmed by Rukmini's love for

him. He prepared his chariot and rode nonstop to Amaravati. He reached the

temple at the appointed time and assured the waiting princess.

As Krishna and Rukmini rode out of the town, the news of Rukmini's elopement

spread like wild fire. Her brother Rukmi led a huge army to block their escape.

But Krishna was a great warrior and repelled the army single-handedly. In the

end, he captured Rukmi and pardoned him only at the behest of Rukmini.

When Krishna and Rukmini reached Dwarka, there was a great celebration and

they were married amidst blessings of the elders. Rukmini remained Krishna's

most beloved wife. It is said that she was none other than goddess Lakshmi, the

eternal consort of Lord Vishnu.

 

Janmashtami ceremony and celebrations

Celebrations for Janmashtami begin a month in advance with a special kind of

temple decoration called Ghatas. For this, the entire temple is decorated in

one colour. Even the idol of Lord Krishna is dressed in the same colour.

The main ceremony at the temples of Krishna takes place at midnight. The main

puja is offered at midnight because Lord Krishna was born at midnight. The idol

of baby Krishna is bathed with perfumed water and panchamrit , a mixture of

five items. It is then placed in a silver cradle and offered sandalwood paste,

haldi-kumkum (turmeric powder and vermilion), flowers, incense and naivedyam.

Devotional songs are sung and the devotees join in the prayers amidst a

devotionally charged atmosphere. After the arati , prasad is distributed

amongst the devotees.

Devotees observe a fast on the day of Janmashtami. They have their meal at

midnight after the puja. The image of Krishna is placed in a beautifully

decorated cradle. Women sing lullabies and bhajans for young Krishna.

Krishna is said to have organised raasleela (dance-dramas) in his youth. On

these occasions, Krishna and the milkmaids spent moon-lit nights on the bank of

the Yamuna, singing and dancing.

Temples are beautifully decorated and illuminated. The idol of Lord Krishna

is adorned with special costume and a crown studded with peacock feathers.

Tableaus depicting various incidents from Krishna's life are displayed at the

temples.

At the temples, fairs are organised on the day of Janmashtami and devotees

wait in long queues to have a darshan of the deity. In Mathura, the birthplace

of Krishna, the main celebrations take place at the Dwarakadheesh temple.

 

References: http://spirituality.indiatimes.com/articleshow/837752.cms

http://spirituality.indiatimes.com/articleshow/-1379207971.cms

http://spirituality.indiatimes.com/articleshow/-1379363472.cms

http://spirituality.indiatimes.com/articleshow/-1379192931.cms

http://spirituality.indiatimes.com/articleshow/-1379078592.cms

http://spirituality.indiatimes.com/articleshow/-1379228143.cms Namaste -

Reet

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